#EveryDayAPhoto: Celebrating the beauty of Western New York

Western New York is a beautiful place – and each day, Buffalo News photographers will bring you a photo to prove it. Our challenge is to look at things differently, to remind us all to slow down and enjoy our surroundings. Check back each morning to see our favorite image for the day.– Cathaleen Curtiss, director of photography

Day 127: May 7, 2017

Show of support: The community gathered at Hertel Avenue and Tonawanda Street to support wounded Buffalo police officer Joseph Acquino, who was shot during what started as a routine traffic stop and ended with a suspect's being shot dead.(Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 126: May 6, 2017

Power to the people: Electric transmission lines in Tonawanda make a graphic design against a colorless sky. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 125: May 5, 2017

Off to the races: People watch from the paddock door as Jack Rice warms up Noble Legend before his race at Buffalo Raceway in Hamburg. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 124: May 4, 2017

Shelter from the rain: Ethan Stevens, left, and Patrick Burke, right, take cover from the rain on Market St in Lockport. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 120: April 30, 2017

Day 119: April 29, 2017

Purr-fect perch: A cat watches a hippotherapy riding session from her perch in a barn in Youngstown. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 118: April 28, 2017

Cloudscape: A faint vapor trail from a recent jet etches the sky as a lone horse grazes in a field along Route 98 in the Wyoming County Town of Arcade. (Robert Kirkham/buffalo News)

Day 117: April 27, 2017

A busy bee: When the Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival opens this weekend, most cherry blossom trees in the Japanese Garden in Delaware Park should be in peak bloom, hugging the trees in blankets of pink petals. (Derek Gee/Buffalo News)

Day 116: April 26, 2017

The hills are alive: The trees on the hillside north of Ellicottville off Route 219 are beginning to burst with springtime color. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 115: April 25, 2017

Waiting to launch: It is shaping up to be a beautiful day in Buffalo – perfect to go kayaking. These colorful kayaks were found standing tall and ready to go at a store on Sheridan Drive in Amherst. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 114: April 24, 2017

Waiting for warmer weather: Vines, still barren from the winter, cling to a colorful but weathered wall at Michigan and Sycamore streets in Buffalo. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 110: April 20, 2017

Another rainy day: A record amount of rain fell Thursday at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, according to the National Weather Service, which put the total at 1.95 inches of precipitation. That was enough to break the old record of 1.27 inches from 1893, the weather service said. The pond at Canterbury Woods in Amherst is visible here through the raindrops. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 109: April 19, 2017

April showers: The dome of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is visible behind flowering trees on South Park Avenue in Buffalo. (John Hickey/Buffalo News)

Day 108: April 18, 2017

Catching the wind: With the Buffalo skyline as a backdrop, Craig Brown of Tonawanda windsurfs on Lake Erie near Hamburg Beach. (John Hickey/Buffalo News)

Day 107: April 17, 2017

Setting sun: Enjoying the sunset in solitude at the Inner Harbor on a beautiful spring evening. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 106: April 16, 2017

Trash to treasures: A miscellaneous jumble of items crowds the porch of Charney’s Attic consignment shop on School Street in Varysburg. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 105: April 15, 2017

A grand entrance: A brilliant blue sky is the backdrop for the stately Westminster Presbyterian Church on Delaware Avenue. The church, designed by H.M. Wilcox, was built in 1858. (John Hickey/Buffalo News)

Day 104: April 14, 2017

Still waters: The North Grand Island Bridge is reflected in the Niagara River on a sunny April day. One truss arch bridge opened in 1935, its twin span in 1965. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 103: April 13, 2017

Prepare to launch: Some cobwebs add to the vintage charm of this old wooden boat being stored at the Buffalo Maritime Center. Find a photo gallery of vintage canal boat construction here. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 99: April 9, 2017

On a clear day: The Toronto skyline is visible over Lake Ontario from a vantage point near Lewiston. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 98: April 8, 2017

Serene scene: The corner of Ward and Lockport roads in Sanborn took on a wintry look after spring snow blanketed the area. (Robert Kirkham/The Buffalo News)

Day 97: April 7, 2017

April snows: A few weeks into spring, snow turns the lawn and trees in front of Hayes Hall at the University at Buffalo South Campus into a winter wonderland. See more April snow photos here. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 96: April 6, 2017

Prom date: Donated gowns are beautifully displayed on the Shea’s Performing Arts Center stage waiting to be selected by high school students to be worn to the prom. For 12 years, Colvin Cleaners has been orchestrating a campaign called "Gowns for Prom,” presented by Allstate. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 95: April 5, 2017

Outer Harbor sunset: Two trees are silhouetted against a colorful sky just after sunset on Outer Harbor Drive. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 94: April 4, 2017

Room with a view: A vase of flowers sits on a windowsill at the University at Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus in Buffalo. (John Hickey/Buffalo News)

Day 93: April 3, 2017

Blooming color: Brightly colored crocuses are a visible reminder that spring is indeed here, despite the predictions for snow later in the week. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 92: April 2, 2017

The mighty Niagara: The Rainbow Bridge in foreground towers over the Niagara River while Niagara Falls, Ont., is shrouded in mist and morning fog. (John Hickey/Buffalo News)

Day 91: April 1, 2017

Bright and pretty: The lighthouse backdrops a gerbera daisy at William K's restaurant on the Buffalo waterfront. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

March 2017: A collection of our favorite photos from our daily #EveryDayAPhoto for March 2017, from high winds and snow to city lights and canalside chairs. Enjoy the entire month.

Day 90: March 31, 2017

Sure sign of spring: Pussy willows are popping up in area yards and swamps. This branch was spotted at the side of Youngs Road near Bassett Park in Williamsville, just in time for Dyngus Day. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 89: March 30, 2017

Open seating: Blue and white chairs reflect in water puddles at Canalside on a spring day, as downtown's popular waterfront prepares for warm-weather visitors. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 87: March 28, 2017

Awash with color: The brick wall at the back of the stage in the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown is painted in shades of pink and red that glow in the cool stage light. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 86: March 27, 2017

Foggy day in Buffalo: Gulls rest on a railing in Broderick Park at the foot of West Ferry Street in Buffalo. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 85: March 26, 2017

Abstract nature: A detail of moss and gnarled bark on a tree in White Chapel Memorial Park on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 84: March 25, 2017

Day 83: March 24, 2017

Reflective moment: The Albright-Knox Art Gallery is reflected in a puddle of melted snow on Lincoln Avenue as Jacky Chanthanousone reads a book on the stone bench at the foot of the stairs. (Derek Gee/Buffalo News)

Day 82: March 23, 2017

Ice show: Downtown Buffalo is seen in the distance behind ice formations hanging over the rocks at Hamburg Beach. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 81: March 22, 2017

Red, white and blue: A bright red barn contrasts against a cold blue sky on Ohio Street in the Village of Medina. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 80: March 21, 2017

Thin ice: A Canada goose walks on the edge of the melting ice on Cassadaga Lake. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 79: March 20, 2017

Remains of Stella: A fire hydrant peeks above the snow on Lockport Road in Lockport on the first day of spring. Winter Storm Stella boosted the city of Buffalo from 13th place to fifth on the nation’s snowiest cities with populations over 100,000. (John Hickey/Buffalo News)

Day 78: March 19, 2017

Dripping with color: Icicles reflect the colors of a beautiful sunset as they melt and drip from a roof in Buffalo. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 77: March 18, 2017

Full house: West Virginia plays Notre Dame during the second round of the NCAA Championship Tournament at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo. (Derek Gee/Buffalo News)

Day 76: March 17, 2017

Taking flight: Gulls enjoy the sunshine in this photo with a view of the Peace Bridge from Broderick Park in Buffalo. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 75: March 16, 2017

Wearing of the green: The Electric Tower glows green for St. Patrick's Day in this view from Genesee Street near the intersection with Jefferson Avenue. The Beaux-Arts style tower was built in 1912 and stands 13 stories tall. (Derek Gee/Buffalo News)

Day 74: March 15, 2017

Snow day: A student heads up the snowy steps at Erie Community College City Campus at 121 Ellicott St. Originally opened as the Buffalo Post Office in 1901, the Gothic Revival-style building became Erie Community College's city campus in 1981. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 72: March 13, 2017

A splash of red: A bright red cardinal stands out in the snow-covered brush off Transit Road in Amherst. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 71: March 12, 2017

Fire aftermath: Icicles frozen on the utility lines glisten in the sun a day after the Lafayette Barton apartments fire, which displaced nearly 90 residents. Buffalo police have arrested a Herkimer Street man in connection with Saturday's fire. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 70: March 11, 2017

When Irish eyes are smiling: The cold weather didn't keep revelers away from the "Old Neighborhood" for the 24th year. The Old First Ward St. Patrick's Day Parade is reflected in the sunglasses of Fallon Ormond, of South Buffalo. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 69: March 10, 2017

Winter gray: A view of the Cargill Pool grain elevator from Buffalo Harbor State Park playground off Fuhrmann Boulevard in Buffalo. Find a gallery of photos of conversion of another grain silo to a brewery here. (Cathaleen Curtiss/ Buffalo News)

Day 68: March 9, 2017

Staying out of the cold: People move from one building to another via a covered walkway at Corporate Parkway in Amherst. (Robert Kirkham/The Buffalo News)

Day 67: March 8, 2017

Spectacular wind and waves: Winds upward of 70 to 80 mph caused walls of water to crash against the Outer Harbor breakwall on Lake Erie in Buffalo, creating stunning splashes. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 66: March 7, 2017

Walking in the rain: An umbrella-wielding pedestrian crosses Washington Street at North Division as rain falls. (Derek Gee/Buffalo News)

Day 65: March 6, 2017

Ford tough: An old Ford pickup sits in a yard on Route 18 near Barker. The colors are rusted and warn but strangely artistic. (John Hickey/Buffalo News)

Day 64: March 5, 2017

Room with a view: A view of Buffalo from the new UB Medical School in downtown Buffalo. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 63: March 4, 2017

Glass house: The top of the main dome at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, originally the South Park Conservatory in Buffalo. Built in 1900, it was modeled after England's Crystal Palace, and visitors to Buffalo's Pan-Am Exposition in 1901 traveled there by trolley. In 1982, the Botanical Gardens was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the New York State Register of Historic Places. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 62: March 3, 2017

Once around the rink: Students enjoy a school trip to Canalside for skating. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 61: March 2, 2017

Glorious view: 80 feet in diameter and close to 120 feet from the floor, the dome at Our Lady of VictoryBasilica in Lackawanna contains the painting of the Assumption and Coronation of the Blessed Mother. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 60: March 1, 2017

A windy afternoon: Karen McArthur of Depew was confident in the industrial-strength umbrella her mother gave her, but it was no match for the wind on Washington Street in downtown Buffalo. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

February 2017

February 2017: a month filled with changing weather, from sunsets on unseasonably warm nights -to the Edward M. Cotter breaking ice in the Buffalo River, snow, rain, fog, and sunshine we experienced it all.

Day 59: Feb. 28, 2017

Here's looking at you kid: A seagull checks out his reflection in the water of the melted ice rink at Martin Luther King Jr. Park. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 58: Feb. 27, 2017

Signs of spring: A merle of blackbirds keep a crow at a distance in a willow tree in Orchard Park, a sure sign that springis near. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 57: Feb. 26, 2017

Waiting to be developed: A bird's-eye view of Canalside and the yet-to-be-developed portion of the former Aud site. (Derek Gee/Buffalo News)

Day 56: Feb. 25, 2017

An orchid by any other name: A Paphiopedilum malipoense at the The Niagara Frontier Orchid Society's annual Orchid Show at the Botanical Gardens on South Park Ave. in Buffalo. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 55: Feb. 24, 2017

Bike path: A cyclist rides out on the Bird Island Pier, which separates the Black Rock Canal, left, from the Niagara River, right, as viewed from the new observation platform near the Peace Bridge. Top right is the city's water intake in Lake Erie. (Derek Gee/Buffalo News)

Day 54: Feb. 23, 2017

Duck, duck, goose: A gaggle of geese make its way through the fog to a small creek off Lapp Road in Clarence. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 53: Feb. 22, 2017

Capturing the wind: The refurbished Wendt Farm windmill that stood on the family farm in Niagara County during the 1920s was used to pump water for farming. It is now placed next to the Wienke Barn on the grounds of the Sanborn-Lewiston Farm Museum on Saunders Settlement Road. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 52: Feb. 21, 2017

A grand view: Grand Island and the Niagara River can be seen on final approach to land at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 51: Feb. 20, 2017

Just ducky: Several ducks swim in the water at South Park in South Buffalo. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 48: Feb. 17, 2017

Day 47: Feb. 16, 2017

Nothing but net: A basketball net along Sunset Lane in Springville is filled to the rim from recent lake effect snow. The return to winter will be short-lived, as a change in the weather pattern will lead to warmer temperatures by Saturday. (Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News)

Day 46: Feb. 15, 2017

Day 45: Feb. 14, 2017

All aglow: The sun starts to set behind the breakwall in Buffalo. (James P. McCoy/Buffalo News)

Day 44: Feb. 13, 2017

Seeing red everywhere: Red paint peels from the side of a building on Seneca Street in Buffalo. A perfect color for Valentine's Day. (John Hickey/Buffalo News)

Day 43: Feb. 12, 2017

Parking assistant: It appears that this red car is being pushed into place by the subject in this graphic that is on the side of a trailer parked in the background on Walden Avenue in Cheektowaga. (Robert Kirkham/The Buffalo News)

Day 42: Feb. 11, 2017

A walk in the park: A couple walks along the Outer Harbor in Buffalo in the afternoon light. (Derek Gee/Buffalo News)

Day 41: Feb. 10, 2017

Bridge in snow: The North Grand Island bridge looms over the icy Niagara River on a gray and snowy day. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 40: Feb. 9, 2017

Day 39: Feb. 8, 2017

Reflection: Students and stairs reflect in a stairway of the Campbell Student Union at SUNY Buffalo State. (Derek Gee/Buffalo News)

Day 38: Feb. 7, 2017

Love is in the bear: Luna, left, and Sakari, right, frolic in their shared area at the Buffalo Zoo as they get to know each other. The polar bears are united just in time for Valentine's Day. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 35: Feb. 4, 2017

Day 34: Feb. 3, 2017

Saving face: A pot is filled with tiny ceramic faces sculpted by artist George Mai in his studio at Buffalo Arts Studio. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 33: Feb. 2, 2017

Oh baby it's cold outside: Frost is seen on the window of a car in the Elmwood Village as temperatures dropped below freezing following a warmer-than-usual January. The month of January tied its 1998 counterpart for the eighth-warmest January in Buffalo since World War II. (Derek Gee/Buffalo News)

Day 32: Feb. 1, 2017

Bell ringer: The bell tower of the Carmelite Monastery in North Buffalo is silhouetted against the dark sky, just after sunset. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

The month of January

January 2017: #EveryDayAPhoto. We hope you enjoy the month of photos -from a snow covered Gallagher Pier's -to a frozen Niagara Falls, - engagements and fireworks -to Lumagination and Nico, the baby Ocelot.

Day 31: Jan 31, 2017

Closed for the season: As a snowfall reduced visibility in Buffalo, the view of Gallagher Pier on Furhmann Blvd provided a serene vista. (John Hickey/Buffalo News)

Day 30, Jan. 30, 2017

View from above: A stunning view of Buffalo from an upper floor of the new UB Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. The building is currently under construction at Main and High streets on the Medical Campus. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 29: Jan. 29, 2017

Winter beauty: Akron Falls can be seen behind tree branches covered with a fresh dusting of snow. The waterfall is on Murder Creek, a tributary to Tonawanda Creek located in Akron Falls Park a 284-acre park in the Village of Akron. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 28: Jan. 28, 2017

Cutting edge: Drifting snow makes the steps of the Robert H. Jackson United States Courthouse in Buffalo resemble steak knives. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 27: Jan. 27, 2017

The Eternal Flame: A hiker crosses the creek at the Eternal Flame Falls, a small waterfall located in the Shale Creek Preserve, a section of Chestnut Ridge Park in Orchard Park. The shale base emits natural gas that allows the flame to be visible nearly year-round. (Mark Mulville/The Buffalo News)

Day 26: Jan. 26, 2017

Hanging on: A lone crabapple clings to a tree on Tacoma Avenue in North Buffalo. So far this month, only 2.9 inches of snow has fallen at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, nearly a foot less than normal for January. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 25: Jan. 25, 2017

Fresh Water: The 1907 Buffalo Water Intake building, seen here from LaSalle Park, takes in 125 million gallons of drinking water for Buffalo every day. (Mark Mulville/The Buffalo News)

Day 24: Jan. 24, 2017

Day 23: Jan. 23, 2017

Bathed in light: The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens are aglow with color. The seventh annual Lumagination takes over the Botanical Gardens, creating a light and sound experience that allows familiar surroundings to be seen in a new light. The show will run Jan. 25 through Feb. 21. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. (Mark Mulville/The Buffalo News)

Day 22: Jan. 22, 2017

It's a boy: Nico, the baby Ocelot, was introduced Sundayat the Buffalo Zoo; he was born in November. (John Hickey/Buffalo News)

Day 21: Jan. 21, 2017

Winter reflection: One Seneca tower reflects in the broken and melting ice at the Erie Basin Marina on another winter gray day in Buffalo. (Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News)

Day 19: Jan. 19, 2017

Black and white: Two horses stand back to back in a misty rain in a pasture on Main Street in Springville. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 18: Jan. 18, 2017

The wheels on the bus: A metro bus travels on Franklin in front of the new Curtiss Hotel in downtown Buffalo on a rainy winter day. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 17: Jan. 17, 2017

An eerie fog: The 1903 Buffalo South Light Station takes on an eerie look as rain and fog roll in along Lake Erie in the Buffalo Harbor. (Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News)

Day 16: Jan. 16, 2017

"I have a dream...": The 8-foot-tall bust of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by John Wilson was installed in Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Buffalo in October 1983. One of Buffalo's most imposing public sculptures, it represents the spirit of defiant optimism and perseverance that characterizes King. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 15: Jan. 15, 2017

Honoring MLK: Kleinhans Music Hall was glowing outside as the people inside were celebrating the life and message of Martin Luther King. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 14: Jan. 14, 2017

Working at the carwash: Shades of red, orange, blue and purple shine in droplets of water on the windshield of a car headed through a local car wash. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 8: Jan. 8, 2017

Day 7: Jan. 7, 2017

Traffic stop: As traffic snarled in downtown Buffalo, a dusting of snow collected on this utility cover on Main Street. (Robert Kirkham/Buffalo News)

Day 6: Jan. 6, 2017

She said yes: Joseph Zbytek, of Cheektowaga, right, proposes to his girlfriend, Cassie Cipolla, of Cheektowaga, on the bridge at Canalside after skating. She said yes. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News)

Day 5: Jan. 5, 2017

The eyes have it: The snowy owl being nursed back to health by Marianne Hites, opens its mouth during a photographer's visit to Specialized Care for Avian & Exotic Pets in Clarence. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 4: Jan. 4, 2017

High winds: A sea gull hovers in the wind over waves at the Small Boat Harbor in Buffalo. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 3: Jan. 3, 2017

Here's looking at you: Raindrops fall off a railing at the Great Gorge Railway Trail near the Whirlpool Bridge in Niagara Falls. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News)

Day 2: Jan. 2, 2017

Common cold: Common teasel covered with frost. Considered an invasive species, it was originally cultivated for use in textile processing in the early 1800s. (Cathaleen Curtiss/Buffalo News)

Day 1: Jan. 1, 2017

Welcome to 2017 - The New Year's Eve ball drops outside the Mohawk Electric Tower in Roosevelt Square welcoming the New Year in Buffalo. (John Hickey/Buffalo News)

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